Timbers extend unbeaten streak to three with 2-0 victory over Los Angeles FC

Defenders Larrys Mabiala and Claudio Bravo tally goals for Portland in win

PORTLAND, Ore. – Defenders Larrys Mabiala and Claudio Bravo each tallied a goal apiece and the Portland Timbers shut out visiting Los Angeles FC 2-0 Saturday night at Providence Park to extend their unbeaten streak to three games.

Portland earned their eighth clean sheet of the season with goalkeeper David Bingham earning his sixth of the campaign.

Home Cookin’

Portland recorded its eighth win of the season in tonight’s match. Seven of the Timbers’ eight wins this campaign have come at Providence Park. Portland’s seven home wins are tied for fourth-most in the Western Conference. The Timbers have won three of their last five regular season home matches, while posting a record of 3-1-1 during that span and scoring multiple goals in all three of their wins. Notably, it marked the first time the Timbers have recorded back-to-back wins at Providence Park this season. The Timbers have tallied 23 goals at Providence Park, including 10 goals in their last five games at home.

Mabiala Goals

Mabiala scored his first goal of the 2023 season and the ninth of his MLS career. It marked his first goal in all competitions since the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs and his first regular-season goal since the 2020 season. Mabiala’s nine goals rank as the most by a defender in Portland’s MLS history. Notably, seven of his nine career goals have been headed goals. His seven headed goals are tied for third-most among Timbers players since 2011.

Looking Ahead

With six matches remaining in the regular season, Portland (33pts) trails FC Dallas (34pts) by just a single point for the ninth and final playoff spot. After tonight’s win against LAFC, the Timbers will play three of their final six matches at home. Two of those matches are against teams above Portland in the standings: San Jose Earthquakes (8th, 37pts) and Houston Dynamo FC (5th, 39pts). Next week, the Timbers will travel to take on Austin FC (10th, 33pts) who sits just above them in the table due to goal differential. Additionally, Portland will face off against the LA Galaxy (13th, 29pts) who currently trails the Timbers in the standings by three points but has two games in hand down the stretch.

Goal-Scoring Plays

POR – Larrys Mabiala, 28th minute: Evander delivered an in-swinging corner kick near the goal line. LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy came off his line to punch the ball away but was unable to clear the ball and Larrys Mabiala headed the ball into the back of the net.

POR – Claudio Bravo (Santiago Moreno, Yimmi Chara), 53rd minute: On the counterattack, Claudio Bravo won the ball near midfield and helped start the break. Portland finished the play off with a quick combination played between Yimmi Chara and Santiago Moreno near the edge of the box. Moreno played a backheel pass to Bravo as he darted into the box and finished from close range.

Notes

• Portland has scored multiple goals in its last four straight matches, tallying eight in that span.
• The Timbers are unbeaten in their last three matches (2-0-1).
• Portland did not surrender a shot on target until the 60th minute of the match.
• Seven of the Timbers eight wins this season have come at Providence Park.
• Portland’s seven home wins are tied for fourth-most in the Western Conference.
• The Timbers are 3-1-1 in its last five matches at Providence Park, scoring multiple goals in all three of those wins.
• Portland earned back-to-back home wins for the first time this season. 
• The Timbers have scored 10 goals in their last five home games and 23 total during the 2023 campaign.
• Portland earned its eighth shutout of the season. 
• Goalkeeper David Bingham has kept six clean sheets in 13 appearances in the 2023 campaign. 
• Larrys Mabiala scored his first goal of the 2023 season.
• It marked Mabiala’s first goal in all competitions since he scored the game-winner against the Colorado Rapids in the MLS Cup Playoffs on Nov. 25, 2021. It was his first regular season goal since Oct. 7, 2020, against the LA Galaxy. 
• The goal was the ninth of Mabiala’s MLS career. 
• Mabiala is the 16th player overall and fifth defender to score a goal for the Timbers this campaign.
• Mabiala’s nine goals are the most by a Timbers defender in the club’s MLS era.
• Seven of Mabiala’s goals have been headers, which ranks tied for third-most headed goals among Timbers player since 2011.
• Claudio Bravo scored his second goal of the 2023 campaign.
• Bravo is the sixth player to score multiple goals for the Timbers this season, joining Evander, Dairon Asprilla, Franck Boli, Felipe Mora and Juan David Mosquera.
• Santiago Moreno registered his team-leading ninth assist of the campaign.
• Moreno’s nine assists in 2023 surpass his previous season best of eight assists set during the 2022 campaign.
• His nine assists in a singles season are tied for third-most by a Timbers player in the last five seasons.
• Yimmi Chara registered his third assist of the campaign.

Up Next

Portland heads out on the road next week to face Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on Sunday, August 17. Kickoff is 5:30pm PT and can be seen on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and on FS1 and FOX Deportes.

Portland Timbers (8-11-9, 33pts) vs. LAFC (11-9-7, 40pts)Sept. 9, 2023 – Providence Park (Portland, Ore.)

Scoring Summary:
POR: Mabiala, 28
POR: Bravo (Moreno, Y. Chara), 53

Misconduct Summary:
LAFC: Acosta (caution), 57
POR: Paredes (caution), 82

Lineups:
POR: GK Bingham, D Miller, D McGraw, D Mabiala, D Bravo, M Paredes (Antony, 84), M D. Chara ©, M Evander, F Moreno (Asprilla, 67), F Mora (Boli, 74), F Y. Chara (Blanco, 74)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Ivacic, D Rasmussen, D Jones-Riley, M Loría, M Caliskan

TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Mabiala, Evander, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Five players tied, 1); FOULS: 9 (Three players tied, 2); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 6, SAVES: 2

LAFC: GK McCarthy, D Palencia, D Murillo, D Long, D Palacios, M Tillman, M Sánchez (Duenas, 84), M Acosta (Krastev, 64), F Vela ©, F González (Ordaz, 64), F Bogusz

Substitutes Not Used: GK Crepeau, D Dellavalle, D Leone, M Crisostomo, F Subah, F Gaines

TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Bogusz, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Acosta, Bogusz, 1); FOULS: 12 (Palencia, Sánchez, 1 ); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 3

Referee: Drew Fischer
Assistant Referees: Kyle Atkins, Andrew Bigelow
Fourth Official: Matt Thompson
VAR: Younes Marrakchi
Attendance: 23,239